RPG Research Projects History List

While we have posted textual and photo lists of the history of RPG Research at a high level, we haven't created an organized list, in timeline approach, of the actual research we've performed since 1983.

Contents

This page is an attempt to capture more information about the decades of experiments and research related to role-playing games, by RPG Research staff and founders, in a timeline format. It will take time to fill in all the blanks, but we will endeavor to do so. Unfortunately much of the physical ccontent, photos, papers, etc. from the earlier decades has been lost, but we are endeavoring to dig up whatever is possible to supplement the textual summations, and provide links where appropriate for more details.

Other options, while this page is still being developed, include looking up our Amalgamation and Photo History pages:

1977-78

Beginning of early informal, but useful, experiments with tabletopRPGs

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

Zork

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

Pretty much just learning the ins and outs of RPGing, social dynamics, different stages of game master development (monty haul, killer, etc.)

1979 - 1982

Initial introduction of RPGs to RPG Research Project founder.

Informal but intensive and extensive experimentation with RPGs.

Primary learning the RPG variants, and beginnings of optimizing the experience.

Between tabletop and computer-based efforts, sometimes intensive periods of 16 hours a day, especially during school breaks, weekends, and summers, while still balancing many other interests, working, physical activity, outdoors activities, sports teams, etc.

RPG Research founder, early software development of role-playing game aides (dice roller, music, graphics/mapping)

Early online text-based RPG experiments through BBSes and precursor to Internet (ARPA/DARPA net).

Game systems/settings

CRPG Systems

Apple II & IIe

TRS-80

PDP (11?)

TI 99/4a

Atari 2600

IBM PC

CRPG Games:

Zork

RPG/TRPG Game systems/settings

OD&D

AD&D1

AD&D1 adapted to Middle-earth

LARP:

None

SABM

Choose Your Own Adventure

Research Questions from this time period

Can you turn an SABM adventure into mor eof a TRPG experience, by pulling up creatures from the Monster Manual (etc.), and using AD&D rules, when run into encounters in the book, to see if overcome, rather than just the if-/then features of the book.

Experimented, writing in BASIC and others, how well turn CYOA's into text-based CRPG, but with randomization added for the encounter results and combat situations. Easily enough done, worked pretty well, added much to the Zork-like experience.

1983

Beginning of slightly more formal research efforts, increases in formality over the decades.

Project founder witnessing increasing experiences of backlash/stigma against gamers in Utah, Idaho, California. Verbal surveys of people implementing bans, attempting to determine why they thought they should ban, the sources they referenced (usually television and newspaper media).

Literature Review and 8 page essay on "The Myths and Realities of Role-Playing Games", and read aloud to the entire upper (small) private school Realms of Inquiry, "a school for gifted & talented children".Notably improved bias behaviors in the school toward RPGers, though still not completely eliminated negative attitudes.

Experiments in paid gaming. Received payment from every player for every game session, from regular groups. The players were happy about this, since they enjoyed the quality of the game, and they knew the money would be spent to enhance the game by buying more RPG books, miniatures, modules, etc.

While still mostly focusing on improving DM & Player skills for the game itself, after writing paper

CRPG Systems:

Commodore 64

IBM PC XT

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

ICE MERP

ICE Rolemaster

Call of Cthulhu

Fasa Star Trek RPG

Car Wars (we adapted to RPG)

Research Questions from this time period

1984

Experiments in computer-generated music for role-playing games, and ambient sounds during TRPG sessions (while running Dragonlance and other series).

Began creating verbal and handout surveys/questionnaires for feedback to help improve the gaming experience. In hindsight, these were efforts to optimize the game experience to improve immersion and experiences of flow state.

Experiments in group sizes (up to about 10-12 players per group)

Early experiments in number of groups per week (up to 6 groups per week)

Early experiments in duration of sessions (up to 16 hours, and as short as 2 hours).

Edperimented with incorporation of other physical activities to break up long sessions (6+ hours), and rejuvinate player excitements. Experimented with hack sack circles (cooperative in nature), boffer LARP sessions in the field, swimming sessions with in-water adventure themes tied in, etc.

Experiments with one-on-one gaming. Various games.

Experiments with "Gladiatorial Battles with the gods". AD&D 1st Edition

CRPG Systems:

IBM PCjr

Macintosh

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Twilight 2000

Iron Crown Enterprises Middle-earth Role-Playing (ICE MERP)

Rolemaster

AD&D 1st Edition

Paranoia

Elfquest

Research Questions from this time period

1985 - 1989

Experiments on using RPGs in educational settings.

Education program on RPGs, 5 days per week, last period, Realms of Inquiry. As a consequence all negative stigmatic behavior toward RPGers in the school was visibly eliminated. Can't account for thoughts, only behaviors. While most participants did not go on to become regular RPGers, several did. Meanwhile those that participated but didn't embrace it regularly, at least no longer had misunderstandings about what the games entailed, and were defenders/advocates that it was "just a game", albeit different than others. PROGRAM PLAN/CURRICULUM - Realms of Inquiry "A School for Gifted & Talented Children", Salt Lake City, UT - Learn How to Play and Run Role-Playing Games. Monday through Friday, 5+/- weeks.

Early experiments in facilities/environment effects on game play and enjoyment.

Experiments in larger organized play. Same module for all tables/DMs, non-competitive.Increasingly standardizing training of DM's to try to deliver the homemade adventures in the same style based on earlier game testing participants feedback.

Experiments in running even larger TRPG groups sizes, including 20 players (merged 3 groups in Greyhawke campaign) over 1-2 months of weekly sessions. Had to implement a number of changes in DM and player style and interaction, to keep balanced and avoid boredom for others waiting turn, and keep down chaos. Merging 3 weekly full groups, 20+ players in overlapping shared campaign.

Experiment with introducing RPGs to miners at a gold mine in central Idaho (The Lost Packer Mine). Used Iron Crown Enterprises Middle-earth Role-Playing. Several sessions after dinner each night. They were very skeptical, but willing to give it a shot. Went surprisingly well.

CRPG Systems:

IBM PCjr

Amiga

CRPG Games:

LARP

Our own bofferr and adventure LARPs

Society for Creative Anachronism (yes, I know, they don't consider themselves a LARP)

SABM

TRPG

Paranoia

Doctor Who RPG

Mechwarrior (tried adapting to RPG)

Robotech RPG

Research Questions from this time period

1990 - 1995

RPG SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT - MerpMaker Software -

CRPG Systems:

Amiga 2000

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

1995 - 2003

Many experiments in audio/video remote TRPG sessions over various technologies, mostly CuSeeMe on WhitePine reflector, but also ICQ, and many others.....

Toward end of 2003, looking into therapeutic professions.

Information coming soon...

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

2004

Significant increase in formality of research on RPGs. Begining of the name "The RPG Research Project".

Research focus begins rapidly transitioning from studies mostly just on overal leffects of RPGs, data on RPGers, and using in educational settings. Focus now shifts larger focus toward potential of therapeutic applications (in addition to continuing to a lesser degree the prior research foci) to achieve specific goals for different populations.

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

2005

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

2006

Establish The RPG Research Project's own dedicated website domain: rpgresearch.com

Begin moving content from older server to new server.

Uploading of much more content from decades of accumulated and scattered electronic and handwritten notes (many turned out to be lost over the decades unfortunately, though every now and then, something thought lost, someone finds, and can add to the repository).

Greatly increased time spent searching all university databases that had access to.

Greatly increased time spent reaching out to contact authors for permission to add their research to the site. For those without permission, still upload, but only make private accessible to the PI, not publicly accessible until permission granted.

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

2017

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

2018

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

2019

CRPG Systems:

CRPG Games:

LARP

SABM

TRPG

Research Questions from this time period

List of Research Questions

This section hopes to provide one area to find all of the RPG Research questions that have been asked over the years. Some might have some kinds of answers (likely generating more questions), or at least list the attempts for trying to answer them. Many others are placeholders for future research to attempt to answer these questions, either through additional literature review on the subject, or through direct experiments by RPG Research staff.

<coming soon, search for "research questions" for now, there should be tags associated>.